TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday (Sept. 2) issued a land warning for Typhoon Haikui.
The land warning covers Taitung and Hualien counties. A sea warning issued for the typhoon on Friday (Sept. 1) now covers the Bashi Channel, offshore areas of northeast Taiwan, offshore areas of southeast Taiwan, and the south Taiwan Strait.
At 11:30 a.m., Typhoon Haikui was located 520 km east of Eluanbi and was moving westward at a speed 17 kph, said the CWB. It had a radius of 160 km and was packing maximum sustained winds of 136 kph with gusts of up to 172 kph.
CWB predicts that Typhoon Haikui will make landfall in Taitung on Sunday night. (CWB image)
The weather bureau has issued a heavy rain advisory for the north coast of Keelung City, mountainous areas of Taipei City, mountainous areas of New Taipei City, and Yilan County. The heavy rain advisory will be in effect from late Saturday morning through the evening.
The CWB has also posted a strong wind advisory for the north coast of: Keelung City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Hengchun Peninsula, Yilan County, Hualien County, Taitung County (including Orchid Island and Green Island), Penghu County, and Lienchiang County. The strong wind advisory will be in effect from late Saturday night through Sunday night (Sept. 3).
Wind radii probability map. (CWB image)
The latest model by the CWB projects that Haikui will make landfall in Taitung at 8 p.m. on Sunday night. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), and European modeling show Haikui making landfall in eastern Taiwan on Sunday evening. U.S. modeling predicts it will affect east Taiwan before ricocheting in the Taiwan Strait and hitting the country for a second time in the southwest.
Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said on Saturday the rain will become heavier over the course of the day, particularly in northern and northeastern Taiwan. Localized and severe thunderstorms are likely in central and southern Taiwan.
The public is urged to continue to monitor the latest weather warnings and adjust disaster preparedness measures. If Haikui makes landfall in Taiwan, it will be the first to do so in Taiwan in four years.
JTWC predicts Haikui will make landfall in Taitung on Sunday evening. (JTWC image)
Haikui could hit Taiwan twice. (GEFS)
Satellite image of Typhoon Haikui. (NOAA GIF)